FROM CONCEPTION TO COMPLETION: PRODUCTION


tbdstill1“The Big Day” Feature Film: How We Took The Project From Conception to Completion

The process of making The Big Day was probably not dissimilar to that of most independent films. From conception to completion, we relied heavily on passion and the support of a strong network of friends and family. For myself and the director, Arian Harandi, choosing to “drop everything” and make the film was ultimately a huge leap of faith, and the actual production process was probably one of the most stressful, terrifying, and most exciting times of our lives. We’ve poured a lot of ourselves into the project, and we hope that everyone enjoys the final film as much as we enjoyed making it.

Below you’ll find an account of the entire process, which includes not only the details of “how we did it” but also a myriad of lessons that we learned along the way. Hopefully, the insights gleaned from this experience will help other filmmakers see their own passion project come to fruition.

 

Screen Shot 2015-09-27 at 10.49.40 AMProduction

The Big Day’s physical production ran on a currency of favors and good will from family and friends. I cannot stress how incredibly thankful we are to have had the opportunity to be graced with the help and support of so many wonderful people.

The production schedule was 5 weeks with a total of 28 days. This might seem like a lot of time, especially considering that so many independent films have a principal photography schedule of 10 to 14 days, but it certainly felt like a whirlwind. Myself and the director, Arian Harandi, almost always worked 15 hour days, 7 days a week. Even if we weren’t physically on set, there was always something to do and we rarely got a break. I’m not complaining. Making this film was probably one of the best experiences of my life, but for anyone considering shooting their own passion project, know that it’s going to be a long, hard, grueling experience. It’s really your passion for the project and the filmmaking process that keeps you waking up at 7:00am every morning and working until 10:00pm every night.

One piece of advice that I would offer to anyone working on set is to prioritize sleep. I may have worked 15 hours a day, but I also always ended the day in time to get a solid 8 hours of sleep. I know so many passionate people who work (or party) until the break of dawn, knowing that they have to wake up for a 6:00am call the next morning. Filmmaking is a creative process and creativity requires a sharp mind. If your mind isn’t in tip top shape, you’re going to make poor decisions. Safety is also a big concern, especially if you have to drive yourself to and from set on only a few hours of sleep.

 

If you have any other questions about production or just want to talk movies, feel free to reach out to me directly via the “Contact” page on this website. I’d also be eternally grateful if you’d check out my latest film The Big Day on our Official Facebook Page.

 

About Melissa Izbicki
izbicMelissa Izbicki is a narrative and commercial film producer located in Los Angeles, California. Izbicki graduated from Chapman University’s  Dodge College of Film and Media Arts with an emphasis in producing and is currently an MBA candidate at Chapman University’s Argyros School of Business and Economics. Her latest feature film, The Big Day, is scheduled for release in late 2016. For more details, visit www.TheBigDayMovie.com

Follow Melissa on Twitter @MelissaIzbicki